Homesick
by Sybil Rowan
Summary: Sakura's soul is residing in Watanuki's dreams. He sees fit to give her comfort and friendship as she worries about her loved ones. This is a simple friendship fic between Watanuki and Sakura.


Title: Homesick

Author: Sybil Rowan

Pairing(s)/Characters: This is a platonic Watanuki and Sakura fic.

Rating: T

Summary: Sakura's soul is residing in Watanuki's dreams. He sees fit to give her comfort and friendship as she worries about her loved ones.

Warnings: little violence, Sakura remembers her vison on Fai killing everyone.

Author's Notes: Covers vol 12 & 13 in xxxHolic. I'd like to dabble with more interactions between these two.

Disclaimer: _Tsubasa: Reservoir_ Chronicle, xxxHolic its names and characters, belong to CLAMP.

Beta Reader: WingedPanther73

Date: January 6, 5:30 am

Word Count: 1,563

When he was awake, she found herself lonely. She resided in his dreams because of her wish to rescue her loved ones. She'd had no idea that her wish would lead her to making a new friend, one she had come to rely on to alleviate the ache she felt while separated from her loves ones. She worried about them constantly, and he would spend his time listening to her talk about them.

She waited patiently for him to appear every night, to fall asleep so she could have some warm company. And he, in deed, was very warm. He was kind and gentle. His heart was pure, so like Syaoran. But he had worries about his own loved ones. She had asked him to share those worries every night, but he brushed her requests aside and urged her to share more of herself. He was too selfless, too much like Fai, and that caused her considerable hurt.

Her thoughts about Fai nagged at her. She had a feeling Fai would desire to harm himself after what he'd done to her. She had to trust in Kurogane and Syaoran to not let that happen. The one thing she wished she could change was the pain Fai was undoubtedly experiencing right now. She just hoped her last words conveyed how much she loved him and wanted him to press on.

"Sakura-chan? Where are you?" Watanuki called out, breaking her musings. She started and waved at him from where she sat under a cherry tree.

Watanuki had created a peaceful orchard for her in his dreamscape, and even a small cottage with a koi pond. It was always a pleasant dusk here, almost feeling like summer. At first Watanuki had recreated her home desert world, Kingdom Clow, but she only felt miserably homesick. He changed it for her when she wept on his shoulder over missing her brother and Yukito.

He joined her under the cheery tree. His cheeriness was weaker than normal. "Watanuki, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I hope you're doing well. It has to bore you all day to be stuck in my head. Maybe I should create something new for you."

"No, I'm very content. Your company is all I want," she said. There was a faint smile and flush coming to his pale cheeks. "Besides, Haruka-san comes and visits me when you're at school or doing errands for the Dimensional Witch."

She noticed his face took on a melancholy expression. "Yuuko-san... Sometimes..."

Sakura laid a hand on his and squeezed it slightly. "Please tell me. You've listened so patiently to me. Now it's your turn."

"I want to make Yuuko-san happy. I asked if I could grant her a wish, any wish within my power. She hasn't told me what it is yet."

"You know a wish can't be made lightly. She'll think carefully on it."

"She's given me so much, so I want to see her happy," Watanuki said, and Sakura could detect a note of longing in his voice.

"She's very special, and she's fortunate to have you," Sakura said. Watanuki was now looking out at the orchard. His grip on her hand tightened a little. He gasped when he looked down at their clasped hands. He suddenly let go of her hand, looking embarrassed.

"I'm so sorry, Sakura-chan. I didn't mean to," Watanuki said.

She smiled and held her hand to her chest. "It's fine. I miss Syaoran holding my hand, so... if you don't mind?" She held out her hand again and he took it hesitantly. "So how are other things in your life?"

"I really shouldn't bother you."

"Please. We're friends now, aren't we? I didn't meet you properly the first time I was here, so it's been nice getting to know you. Part of that is letting me know your troubles. You're not quite as hard to get through to as Fai, but you're pretty stubborn, too."

His expression grew bleak. "There's this little girl I met that's in a bad situation. Her name is Kohane-chan. I want to help her. Her mother is a very troubled lady, and I don't know how to get her out of that situation. It hurts me to see her suffering."

"My father would tell you to have faith and look towards the future. Do your best to be there for her. Sometimes being someone's friend and giving them a smile is all you can do. Fai taught me that back on Outo World when I felt as though I couldn't give anything back to Syaoran. It kept Syaoran encouraged."

"Outo World?"

"Yes, that was such a nice time. It felt like we became a family there. I miss that cafe. I miss making lunches for Syaoran and Kurogane and sending them off to work, while Fai and I tended the cafe with Mokona. Your chocolate fondant was a huge hit, by the way. Fai recreated your recipe."

"Really? I had no idea."

"Promise me, if we meet in real life you'll make some for me?"

"Promise." Watanuki held her hand tighter. "You know, I really wish for that. One day, I could could make a meal for you and Syaoran-kun. And Fai-san and Kurogane-san."

"How about Mokona?" she teased.

"Our Mokona eats like an elephant. I suppose the white one eats like that, too," Watanuki griped. "But of course your Mokona is certainly invited."

Sakura giggled. "Well, Mokona certainly steals enough off of Kurogane's plate to cause a fuss. There was one time Fai had worked really hard to make a special meal for Kurogane. It was Kurogane's favorite dish, something similar to what he would eat in Japan. Mokona got to most of it before Kurogane had a chance. Both of them were rather upset with Mokona that night."

Watanuki chuckled and shook his head. "Be grateful you don't have Doumeki the food thief along with you. Fai-san would be chained to a stove for the rest of his life and you would stave to death. Then again, sending him with you guys would eliminate that annoyance in my life. Feel free to take him along and leave him in any dimension."

"I think it's sweet how you always talk about Doumeki," Sakura said.

"WHAT? Not you too, Sakura-chan! It's bad enough having Himawari-chan say stuff like that during the day, but not you during the night!"

"Your temper is reminding me Kurogane right now. I didn't realize how I'd missed it," Sakura said, and Watanuki seemed to wilt for her in sympathy. Her mind drifted off towards those hard, crimson eyes. What was he thinking right now about what she'd done? "I'm still afraid Kurogane is going to be furious with me."

"It's like what I'm going through with Kohane-chan right now. It hurts when you see someone you care about suffering. Kurogane-san will be hurt because you're hurting."

"Your right, but there was no other way. I had to save them. I love them all, and that future..."

She felt tears trickle down her cheeks. Watanuki let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around Sakura's shoulders. He rubbed her upper arms gently and encouraged her to lay her head on his shoulder. She let herself sob, remembering that terrible vision.

She was bleeding to death on the ground after the curse took a hold of Fai. All she could do was watch as Syaoran rushed to her side. Fai's one eye was demented as he quickly plunged the sword in Syaoran's back and then swung at it Kurogane's throat. The strike to Syaoran and Kurogane was one fluid motion that sent blood everywhere. Fai stood over the bloodied bodies, sobbing hysterically. He then took the sword and plunged it into his own throat, toppling dead beside Kurogane.

"Watanuki, I wish I could get rid of the memory of that vision," she said, burying her face in the fabric of his yukata. He held her closer, rubbing her back in lazy circles.

"I wish I could grant that one, but you should carry that one memory so you don't forget why you're making this sacrifice."

"For them, so they can survive," Sakura said.

She cried a little more. Watanuki always made it so easy to let things out, and she was grateful to the Dimensional Witch for letting her reside in Watanuki's dreams while she waited on her loved ones to rescue her. After she found herself spent, Watanuki laid her back on the grass. He then laid beside her and took her hand again. He raised his other hand towards the tree and tiny pink blossoms bloomed and drifted down.

"I hope they come for you soon, but I do enjoy your company," Watanuki said.

Her face suddenly grew warm and she squeezed his hand. "You make this bearable. Thank you."

End.


End file.
